DSWD Bicol officials and partner pharmaceutical firms in the region joins the ceremonial signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the issuance of guarantee letters (GLs) for Medical Assistance (Prescription).

LEGAZPI CITY – On February 8, 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the different pharmacies in the region for the issuance of guarantee letters for Medical Assistance (Prescription) under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program.

“With the growing public demand for social services, the agency thru its AICS, is partnering with these pharmacies for better provision of medical assistance to clients in need of aid with their medicines and to ensure that the assistance given to them is used for its intended purpose,” DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman S. Laurio said.

This initiative stemmed from the directives of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to safeguard the purpose of the assistance given to the clients.

RD Laurio also added, “May utos po ang ating pangulo na maibili ito ng gamot upang kung sinuman ang benepisyaryo ng programa ng DSWD ay talagang gamot ang maibigay sa kanila.”

(Our president has ordered that it be used to purchase medicine so that whoever is the beneficiary of the DSWD program will truly receive medication.)

RD Laurio also emphasized that the guarantee letter is a foolproof mechanism to prevent system loss.

“Helping the vulnerable cannot be done by the government alone, thus, we thank our partner pharmacies who are accepting this challenge to collaborate with us to improve our services to the Bicolanos in crisis situation,” he said.

During the memorandum of agreement signing, 13 pharmacies will help broaden the scope of services to be provided under the AICS program of the DSWD.

This partnership entails service providers to acknowledge the advanced copy of GLs issued by the DSWD. This will be used to fund their medications or prescriptions, as requested by the AICS clients.

Meanwhile, the Department assures the availability of funds for the services that the our partners will give to the AICS beneficiaries. Different monitoring mechanisms for GLs (Prescription) is also put in place to ensure payments for the services provided were also funded accordingly.

RD Norman Laurio was joined by ARDO Melchor L. Sañano, PSD Chief Victoria C. Tagum, CIS Head Donna M. Osial, and RIO Marygizelle B. Mesa, during the MOA Signing. They expressed their gratitude to the present set of service providers for partnering with the Department in assisting eligible AICS clients with their medical needs through mutual obligations and responsibilities.

Participating pharmacies iinclude Southstar Drug, UNIMED Drugstore, The Generics Pharmacy (TGP), and Mary Rich Pharmacy including their franchisees.

The said change in transaction in seeking for medical assistance (prescription) will start this coming Monday, February 12, 2023.

The AICS, or Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, is one of the social welfare services of DSWD that provides medical, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance for other needs of a person or family in crisis.#